deep space radio telescope array

[JasonChapman]

I was wondering do we have a space based early warning system for tracking asteroids. I know that they have radio telescopes equipped with high powered digital cameras which scan the skies for danger, but how do they compensate for atmosphere distortion with these cameras.
I’m currently working on my latest idea, a deep space radio telescope. There are a few uses for this deep space radio telescope.

To Track objects entering our solar system, to determine if they’re a threat.
To peer deeper into the cosmos, monitor background radiation.
To relay communication with any deep space vessels, thus preventing signal degradation.

You could position up to ten of these tracking station ant various point in our solar system, beyond the orbit of Neptune as an early warning system.

I put this in this section because I created an illustration with it, and given what I propose I thought it might come under science fuction.

 

[JeffreyNYA]

I was wondering do we have a space based early warning system for tracking asteroids. I know that they have radio telescopes equipped with high powered digital cameras which scan the skies for danger, but how do they compensate for atmosphere distortion with these cameras.
I’m currently working on my latest idea, a deep space radio telescope. There are a few uses for this deep space radio telescope.

To Track objects entering our solar system, to determine if they’re a threat.
To peer deeper into the cosmos, monitor background radiation.
To relay communication with any deep space vessels, thus preventing signal degradation.

You could position up to ten of these tracking station ant various point in our solar system, beyond the orbit of Neptune as an early warning system.

I put this in this section because I created an illustration with it, and given what I propose I thought it might come under science fuction.

What is coming from outside the solarsystem that we have to worry about? Perhaps planetX or ET?

I would think a radio telescope on the dark side of hte moon would be as good if not better for your second point.

Not sure that anything is needed now or in the near future for communication that far out. Its doubtful we will have many assests out that far in the next 50 years. So current Tech will probably work just fine.

 

[crazyeddie]

I was wondering do we have a space based early warning system for tracking asteroids.

Yes, we do, and it's called Spacewatch, operated by the University of Arizona in Tucson:

http://spacewatch.lpl.arizona.edu/index.html

I know that they have radio telescopes equipped with high powered digital cameras which scan the skies for danger, but how do they compensate for atmosphere distortion with these cameras.

Radio telescopes do not suffer from atmospheric distortion; only optical telescopes have this problem. However, the atmosphere is not transparent to all parts of the radio spectrum, so radio telescopes have a different set of problems, which include interference from human-based radio activities. We're literally awash in radio noise!

I’m currently working on my latest idea, a deep space radio telescope. There are a few uses for this deep space radio telescope.

To Track objects entering our solar system, to determine if they’re a threat.
To peer deeper into the cosmos, monitor background radiation.
To relay communication with any deep space vessels, thus preventing signal degradation.

We could definitely benefit from having a space-based radio telescope, but since really effective arrays need to be either very large or very spread out, the cost would be substantial.

 

[MeteorWayne]

I was wondering do we have a space based early warning system for tracking asteroids.

Yes, we do, and it's called Spacewatch, operated by the University of Arizona in Tucson:

http://spacewatch.lpl.arizona.edu/index.html

Spacewatch has long been surpassed as the primary discovery survey. Over the last 4 or 5 years the Catalina Survey (3 scopes) has found almost 75% of the NEOs.

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/stats/

When PANSTARRS goes online later this year, it will probably double that rate.

The point is, there's no need to go into space for asteroid searches; it works fine from earth as long as it's funded well, and is FAR less expensive than a space mission which wouldn't gain much in sensitivity.